50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act

Bilal Sekou will lead a session celebrating
the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited segregation and discrimination in any business that served the public, in all public facilities, and in any federally funded state program. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 banned discriminatory voting requirements, and required approval from the Justice Department for any new voting requirements or procedures. Five decades later, Americans are sharply divided about whether laws designed to promote equality are still necessary. Moreover, recent rulings by SCOTUS limiting the use of antidiscrimination laws and the passage of the new state laws making it harder to vote suggest waning support for equality laws among many public officials.